The good news is that people in the intervention group lost more weight than those in the control group (8.6% vs 0.7% at one year, and 6% vs. 3.5% at study end). Furthermore, those in the intervention group saw greater improvements in glycated hemoglobin, fitness, and risk factors. The bad news is that after almost a decade, there was just no difference in the real outcome of interest. The number of deaths from cardiovascular causes was just no different.

They actually stopped the trial early, once a “futility analysis” showed it just wasn’t going to work, even if they waited a few more years.

We tend to draw conclusions based on our belief systems, in this case the conclusions did not support that belief system. It also did not support the conclusions of LMP, and Nick. It is possible that cardiovascular fitness is more important than weight. I also noticed that the weight loss eroded over the next year, which is very typical on dieting in general. Also the very important variable that almost nobody talks about is optimism